The parents of the Grade R girl who was raped, allegedly by three Grade 2 boys, are relieved that their daughter has not contracted HIV.

The girl’s father said the family received the results of an HIV test on Tuesday.

“It was negative. My wife and I were so relieved.”

He said his daughter was a little better and was no longer shaking, but she was still too afraid to go to school.

“She will be staying home with her mother on Wednesday,” he said.

Meanwhile, the school at which the attack took place appeared not to have followed protocol on reporting the incident to the district office.

Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, said the incident had been reported to the district office on Friday, 10 days after it happened. It should have been reported immediately.

The girl’s father told the Cape Argus on Monday the school had failed in its duties as it had not notified them about the incident until he spoke to the girl’s teacher last Thursday.

The incident happened while she was waiting for her transport home.

Casey said the Western Cape education department’s Abuse No More policy provided schools with guidelines on how to deal with all forms of abuse, including sexual abuse. She said the department was investigating the procedures followed and why the girl had not been accounted for in a designated area where pupils wait for transport after school.

The girl’s parents had been contacted and offered counselling. Arrangements had been made for a social worker to visit the school to counsel the alleged perpetrators.

“The department has also advised the school to take the necessary disciplinary steps against the pupils.”

Casey said:

“The department will continue to co-operate with the SAPS in this regard, as well as provide the necessary support in terms of counselling.”